


Irreplaceable

by Zhie



Category: The Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Accidents, Comfort, Cuddling & Snuggling, Librarians, Libraries, M/M, Stand Alone
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-17
Updated: 2019-09-17
Packaged: 2020-10-20 07:48:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,384
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20671817
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zhie/pseuds/Zhie
Summary: Erestor has a bad day; Glorfindel is a good listener.  Originally posted on February 3, 2006 @ Erestor Lovers Yahoo!Group.





	Irreplaceable

**Author's Note:**

> From 2/3/2006: This is my life. No, really, this was my week. Poor Erestor; I packed all of my woe into one day for him. He needs hugs; I need hugs… and now, onto the story. (Being a librarian can be more perilous than people realize.)

"You." Erestor lingered for a moment at the door, pointing at Glorfindel. The golden haired elf set aside the report he had been reading and stood up, completely puzzled. Erestor haphazardly kicked the door closed as he dropped his hand to his side and walked purposefully across the room, his lip trembling slightly. 

A troubled look furrowed Glorfindel's brow. "Darling, whatever is the matter?" he asked, hoping he had not been the cause of the state Erestor was in. 

The counselor practically flung himself into Glorfindel's arms, which easily found their place around the slighter ellon. "I need snuggling and hugs and possibly some sex if you have the time," Erestor half-grumbled half-mumbled against the warrior's broad chest. "I am not particular about the order, either." 

"Of course, but my dear, what is wrong?" With one arm still around Erestor, Glorfindel tipped his mate's chin upward, looking into sorrow filled eyes on the verge of tears. "What happened? Who do I have to beat up?" 

This at least made Erestor laugh and sniffle instead of cry. "I am so sore," he groaned, leaning his cheek against Glorfindel. 

"You're sore, and you want sex. Must have been a very bad day," mused Glorfindel, placing soft kisses on the top of Erestor's head. "Come here," he said, leading Erestor to the chair. Sitting back down, Glorfindel coaxed Erestor to sit on his lap, which the dark elf did, lifting his feet up as well once he had kicked off his house slippers. Once his legs were tucked under his robes and he was snuggled as close to Glorfindel as he could manage, Erestor let out a long sigh. 

"I had to put away forty books of shelves." 

"Beg your pardon?" questioned Glorfindel. 

"Forty... forty shelves of books," Erestor corrected himself with a yawn. "Forty bloody fucking shelves of books." Each word was stressed more than the last. 

Glorfindel was silent for a moment, and finally asked, "Hit me if you must for asking, but, I would expect that a librarian would indeed put away books on shelves as part of protocol or something. As opposed to leaving them to scatter over the floor when they have been returned." 

"That was why I had to do it; because they were all scattered all over the floor." Erestor pulled at his robes, loosening the collar. "I had to put them all in order, too. Tons of them, all over the floor, all mixed up like book soup." 

"Dare I question further as to why the books were soup?" Glorfindel had continued where Erestor had left off, until the robes hung loosely open. 

Sitting up only long enough to shrug his robes from his shoulders, Erestor nestled himself against Glorfindel once again. "Remember last week?" 

"Mmm… yes," purred Glorfindel, his hands cheekily moving beneath the white cotton shirt that remained covering Erestor. "Last week we had `I-am-so-excited-the-library-has-new-bookshelves-sex'." Glorfindel was promptly but gently smacked in the arm as he chuckled. "Yes, you were very happy about the new shelving unit that was put up." 

"It no longer is." 

"No longer is what?" 

"No longer is up. No longer is a bookshelf. No longer is." 

"Oh, my!" Glorfindel, forgetting the original reason for his hands traveling over Erestor's skin, now hugged his lover tightly. "Are you alright? Are you hurt? Is anyone hurt? How is the library?" 

"I am fine, more or less. My pride; another story," said Erestor wryly. "I actually tried to hold the damn thing up." 

"What? How?" Glorfindel's grip was tightening on Erestor. "I don't want my baby getting hurt. What happened exactly?" 

Snuggling closer, Erestor explained, "We were loading the new shelves, from the bottom up just like the carpenters said. Everything looked fine. I was nearly halfway up, and suddenly, I heard something creak. I jumped up – I was knelt on the floor at the time – and I saw it tipping over. So I grabbed hold of the nearest shelf and set my foot on the base, but there was no way I could stop it." Erestor let out another sigh. "As soon as I saw no one was on the other side, I just had to let it go. So... by the time the council met this afternoon, the story was out, and I had all sorts of lovely commentary to listen to regarding my strength and my battle with the bookshelf." 

"Darling, I am so sorry," whispered Glorfindel into Erestor's hair. "How are the books?" He bit his lip after asking, knowing how precious each volume was to his love. 

There was a long pause. "Most of them are fine." Erestor's voice quivered slightly. "Really, I am just glad no one was hurt." 

"What was damaged?" prodded Glorfindel, already making plans to try to have the volumes replaced if he could. 

"Oh... not many. Most were alright. Just..." Erestor sniffled again and then said, "The shelves hit a table and a few chairs. You should see the gouges in the table, Findel. I just cannot imagine if someone had been there when it fell." 

Glorfindel rubbed Erestor's back in soothing circles and nuzzled the top of his head. "Would you like me to have something sent up for dinner?" he asked when nothing more was said. 

"If you like. I do not want anything." Erestor turned his neck one way and then the other, letting out a groan of relief when a small crack was heard. "Thank Eru for small favors. I have wanted that crick in my neck to go away all day." 

"Since you aren't hungry, would you like me to take you in the other room? We can tuck ourselves into bed and cuddle for a while," offered Glorfindel. 

"But I haven't told you about my day yet," pouted Erestor. 

"There's more?" asked Glorfindel, worried. 

"Unfortunately." Erestor sat up again, stretching his limbs. "Do you recall those manuscripts in Gondor that Elrond wanted?" 

Glorfindel nodded. "Vaguely." 

"He sent the payment in full months ago. The manuscripts never arrived, and they are claiming no knowledge of the payment, even though Elrond was given a written contract after the payment was delivered." 

"Ouch," commented Glorfindel, grimacing. 

Erestor arched his back, one hand rubbing his neck. "Melpomaen wants a transfer in four months. To... well, somewhere other than the library, obviously. I have another scribe who wants to reduce her hours, and, remember how I mentioned last week that Celebrian is pregnant and will not be able to assist in the archives after the summer?" 

"Yes..." said Glorfindel cautiously. 

"It's twins. I'm losing her next month." Erestor's shoulder slumped as he leaned back against Glorfindel. "Know anyone who wants to be a librarian?" 

"Not sure. The way you describe it, the perils are worse than fighting a balrog." 

"They are," answered Erestor without hesitation. "Besides the unknown excitements, one deals with the day to day plagues of ink stains and paper cuts." To further make his point, he held up one slender finger and displayed for Glorfindel the dark smudge on his knuckle and the red line that marked a healing cut. 

"Poor baby." Glorfindel kissed the small stinging injury and then kissed the tip of Erestor's ear. "Sure you aren't hungry?" Erestor shook his head. "Shall we retire for the night, then?" Erestor hesitantly nodded. 

Helping Erestor up from his lap before standing himself, Glorfindel began to walk toward the bedroom when a tug on his hand stalled him. "Findel?" 

"Yes, dear?" 

Bowing his head, Erestor drew in a deep breath, then looked back up at Glorfindel. "Therewereabouttwentybooksruinedandoneofthemwasyours." 

"Wait, what about a horse?" Glorfindel shook his head and said, "Slower, darling, I could not understand you." 

"One of the books." Erestor looked away. "It was your balrog book. The one about you and Ecthelion and the fall of Gondolin... I'm... I'm sorry, I tried to save it," choked Erestor, sniffling once again. "It must have fallen open before the shelf fell, and it tore through the pages to the cover and I... and..." 

"Baby, baby, come here." Glorfindel enveloped his tearful, trembling lover in his arms. "Are you sure you are unhurt?" Erestor wiped at his eyes and nodded. "Then that is all that matters to me, darling. A book we can replace; you, my dear, are one of a kind." 

-end- 


End file.
